Bangkok SWAT Raid Nabs Two for Selling Modified Guns Online
BANGKOK — A SWAT team has arrested two men in Bangkok’s Suan Luang district for allegedly modifying and selling illegal firearms through social media, following complaints from local residents.
The suspects, identified only as Natthakiat, 29, and Suppasit, 31, were taken into custody during a raid coordinated by the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) on Thursday. Both men were found at a residence where illegal firearms and ammunition were being stored and advertised for sale.
According to Chaiwat Chuntirapong, DOPA’s director-general, the raid was launched after residents reported the suspects frequently posted photos of weapons and ammunition for sale on Facebook and were often seen carrying guns in public.
Natthakiat, who had previously served a prison sentence for drug-related offenses and was released in 2019, had been operating a vintage clothing and accessory business online, which allegedly doubled as a front for illegal weapons sales. Investigators said the weapons, including modified blank guns, were sold at prices ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of baht.
The suspects told police they had been modifying and selling guns for about a year, with many of their clients believed to be members of student gangs known for violent altercations across the capital.
Both men face multiple charges, including possession of illegal firearms and modification of weapons for sale, with authorities now expanding the investigation into potential links with broader black-market networks.
Officials have pledged to crack down further on illegal arms trading amid rising concerns over gang-related violence in urban areas.
